Carlton Bragg Jr.'s suspension thins Kansas before Kentucky game
Breaking news on this Thursday night: Kansas has suspended forward Carlton Bragg Jr. indefinitely.
The school announced that the 6-foot-10 sophomore won't play Saturday when the second-ranked Jayhawks visit Rupp Arena to play No. 4 Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Coach Bill Self said the suspension isn't related to the investigation into a reported rape of a 16-year-old girl at McCarthy Hall, which houses the Kansas men’s basketball players among other students.
Bragg has played in 19 of Kansas’ 20 games this season, starting five. He’s averaging 6.1 points, 4.8 rebounds in 15 minutes a game.
Carlton Bragg suspended indefinitely. Self says "violation is not connected to the alleged incident in McCarthy Hall."
— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) January 27, 2017
Bragg has scored in double figures three times this season: 12 in the season opener against Indiana, 15 points against Siena and 10 points at Iowa State on Jan. 16. He has a season-high 11 rebounds in the Siena game.
A McDonald’s All-American out of high school in Cleveland, Bragg averaged 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds as a freshman last season.
Bragg suspension leaves KU ultra-thin. Self was only playing 7-man rotation before this. Look for more Lightfoot/Coleby on Saturday.
— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) January 27, 2017
Carlton Bragg's season at Kansas has been a disaster. Pretty bad news to get two days before playing in Rupp.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) January 27, 2017
Bragg was suspended for a game earlier this season when he was charged with misdemeanor battery by Douglas County prosecutors for allegedly striking his girlfriend and pushing her down stairs during an argument. The charges were dropped and the girlfriend was charged.
Kansas was already thin in the frontcourt after a season-ending wrist injury to freshman Udoka Azubuike. Dwight Coleby, a 6-9 transfer from Ole Miss, and Mitch Lightfoot, a 6-8 freshman, could see more action on Saturday against Kentucky.
John Clay: 859-231-3226, @johnclayiv
Kentucky-Kansas last 10 games
Date | Site | UK | KU | Dec |
12/9/90 | Lexington | 88 | 71 | W |
12/1/98 | Chicago | 63 | 45 | W |
3/14/99 | New Orleans (NCAA) | 92 | 88 | W (OT) |
1/9/05 | Lexington | 59 | 65 | L |
1/7/06 | Lawrence | 46 | 73 | L |
3/18/07 | Chicago (NCAA) | 76 | 88 | L |
11/15/11 | New York | 75 | 65 | W |
4/2/12 | New Orleans (NCAA) | 67 | 59 | W |
11/18/14 | Indianapolis | 72 | 40 | W |
1/30/16 | Lawrence | 84 | 90 | L (OT) |
This story was originally published January 26, 2017 at 10:55 PM.